Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Angela Giuffrida in Rome

‘What happened to the testicles?’: mockery in Milan over bull mosaic’s restoration

The hands of the restorer, clad in orange gloves, work with tiny tiles on the light brown, cream and pinkish image of the bull, which is laid on a blue background.
Restoration of the bull mosaic involved repairing and refurbishing the pink tesserae that depicted its testicles. Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/AFP/Getty Images

The restoration of a floor mosaic in Milan called the Rampant Bull has been mocked after the works appear to have erased a crucial anatomical detail – its testicles.

The 19th-century mosaic in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade needed a makeover because a small crater had formed in the tiny pink tiles featuring the bull’s testicles, due to the constant stream of tourists performing a heel-spinning gesture.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.